Palestinian unity government to be formed Monday

RAMALLAH, West Bank — Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says the formation of a Palestinian unity government backed by the rival factions of Hamas and Fatah will be announced Monday.

Abbas told dozens of French pro-Palestinian activists on Saturday that Israel has informed him that it will shun such a government. The Islamic militant group Hamas is considered a terror organization by Israel and the West.

Abbas reiterated that the unity government is to consist of technocrats and follow his pragmatic political program. Abbas is the leader of Fatah, which has conducted intermittent peace talks with Israel for two decades.

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